Aggies Mailbag: Has Dabo Swinney even heard of the 12th Man?

Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher and Clemson's Dabo Swinney match wits for the ninth consecutive season Saturday night, but for the first time with Fisher in Texas A&M's employ.

Photo: Associated Press

COLLEGE STATION – In angling for any reason to be fired up for Saturday night’s Clemson-Texas A&M game, some Aggies are taking umbrage with Tigers coach Dabo Swinney’s correct assertion that “the fans don’t play” when asked about the deafening-ness (made-up word) of Kyle Field.

“They can yell and be loud and that’s great,” Swinney said this week, “but what has that got to do with doing your job? You need to do your job, or you can’t. It’s that simple.”

Shoot, I believe A&M fans should be happy Swinney used “yell” instead of “cheer” for their favorite pastime at Kyle. Swinney and Jimbo Fisher are two of the characters of college football, and meet for the ninth straight year, with each having won four games.

With Fisher coaching his second game at A&M after arriving from Florida State, the No. 2 Tigers are double-digit favorites on the Aggies’ home field.

“All of us love going on the road and shutting a team down,” Clemson safety K’Von Wallace said. “Just making it quiet – quieting the crowd.”

The National Weather Service also calls for a 70 percent chance of rain/thunderstorms Saturday afternoon, and a 50 percent chance Saturday night during the game. Forecasts also call for more than 102,000 fans at Kyle, so pack your slickers and leave the umbrellas in your SUVs.

A: I suppose the Aggies keeping it within a touchdown would provide the program a boost more than it would crush their dreams moving forward in Fisher’s first season, but honestly I don’t believe Fisher allows the “m” word to creep into the players’ dialogue – before or after Saturday’s game.

As for my prediction? Clemson wins, but it’s not a blowout by any stretch. How about 33-27.

Q: Speaking of the offensive line, what is the issue in your mind? Lack of talent, toughness or coaching? – Brandon Gumarang, @BrandonGumarang

A: I know A&M quarterback Kellen Mond got popped a couple of times, but it’s really difficult to judge exactly where a line stands after playing Northwestern (La.) State, and what exactly the Aggies were trying to achieve on offense in saving some wrinkles for Clemson.

I also know that Fisher and offensive line coach Jim Turner are putting together a solid line class starting in 2019 – starting with the state’s top prospect in tackle Kenyon Green of Atascocita – so if nothing else help is on the way. Let’s revisit this one about 10 p.m. Saturday night.

Q: Do the Aggies have the depth and personnel at this stage in the Fisher era to keep it close to a team like Clemson? Realistically what is the Aggies’ best shot on Saturday? – Mike, @mikeag96

A: There’s so much involved in changing a culture of a program – and believe me there are plenty of changes ongoing – so, yeah, facing one of the nation’s top two programs this early in the Fisher tenure isn’t ideal for the Aggies.

On the flip side, it provides the players a hard measure of where they one day intend to be. A&M’s best shot to hang around in this one involves running back Trayveon Williams carrying the load – as the Aggies drain the clock and keep the chains moving (even moving slowly if need be).

Hard to believe, but following Williams’ 240 yards last week he’s one of only two Aggies with three 200-yard rushing games to his credit (joining Darren Lewis).

S (for Statement): Hey Brent. Win something. Win anything, and then you can talk all you want. – Jim

A: My softball team composed of rag-tag media members (with all proper respect) and a couple of ringers won 17-8 late Wednesday night at Veteran’s Park in College Station. I knew I should have taken a pic of the scoreboard.

S: Sorry pal. No similarities between Clemson and A&M. Aggies are the biggest underachievers in college football history while Clemson is one of the biggest overachievers. – Rex

A: Sorry, chief, I was referencing the people in and around campus and the communities surrounding both Clemson and A&M (on a Clemson radio show this week). I realize the programs, based on recent achievements, are about as similar as my 40-something softball exploits to the Astros winning the World Series (aka, zero comparison).

A: That was awesome. An online story of mine this week on Clemson’s defensive line had a time stamp of 1969 (you got me). Wasn’t even a twinkle in Daddy’s eye back then (maybe about a year later, though).

Appreciate the “Back to the Future” GIF in response, and hopefully my kids will stumble across that article one day, and it’ll really throw ’em for a loop.

Brent Zwerneman is a staff writer for the Houston Chronicle and chron.com covering Texas A&M athletics. He is a graduate of Oak Ridge High School and Sam Houston State University, where he played baseball.

Brent is the author of four published books about Texas A&M, three related to A&M athletics. He’s a four-time winner of APSE National Top 10 writing awards for the San Antonio Express-News, including a second-place finish for breaking the Dennis Franchione “secret newsletter” scandal in 2007.

His coverage of Texas A&M’s move to the SEC from the Big 12 also netted a third-place finish nationally in 2012. Brent met his wife, KBTX-TV news anchor Crystal Galny, in the Dixie Chicken before an A&M-Texas Tech football game in 2002, and the couple has three children: Will, Zoe and Brady.